Catching up...

I love my new camera! Having said that, I take so many pictures it is hard to select which ones will make it to my blog. It is for this reason that I am a bit delinquent in posting these as I have just not had the time to go through all these snapshots! Anyway, the above were taken at a local orchard we went to this Fall. This is all I can do tonight, but I will post more soon as I still have so many that I did not have time to get to tonight. Hope you enjoy the pics and when I can carve out some time, I will post on some of my reflections this Fall as I have had sufficient time to mull them over. Take care and let me know if any of you still check this blog!

This year Zachary shared his birthday party with his cousin, Josh, who is almost exactly two years older than Zachary (Zachary turned 5 on September 24). The boys decided they wanted a Speed Racer cake so I found a picture from a bakery and made my own copy--lots of fun! He loved his party and LOVES being five!

This picture was also taken at Zachary's party. This is his 'best friend in the whole world', Anya. He talks about her ALL the time (just to note, they have known one another since they were in utero!)
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The following shots were taken at a Brazilian wedding that we attended in October. It was a beautiful day and kids held up pretty well considering how long we were there. We drove to NJ that morning, attended the ceremony and reception, and then drove home to PA in the evening!

More to come soon so check back! Keep in touch!

~Andrea~

All Dolled Up

Hello!

I have finally taken the time to import pics from my memory stick onto our computer so I can post them for you all to see! First, however, I thought I would begin with posting a few pics from my latest project. I have decided to make a few of my Christmas gifts this year and have had so much fun that I may make this my full-time hobby! Anyway, I made this little doll, Elle Belle, as we call our little Ellie. I have so many more fun ideas for these dolls so I will post more as I add to my little collection!

Some cute pics...

Struggling to Wake Up

I do not know if any my readers even check this blog anymore but I have decided to give this another shot. To say, "it has been awhile," is a bit of an understatement. Suffice it to say the last several months have been a season full of unexpected events and I needed some time to reflect and consider the happenings in my life. Having said that here is a small attempt to resurrect this blog...

When I was in college, there was one afternoon where I had decided to take a nap, feeling quite fatigued after many nights of having stayed up too late to write papers. This one afternoon in particular, Tom was away and I was alone in our little duplex, sitting on the couch reading and drifting off into a deep sleep. I do not know how long I had been asleep but I remember at one point 'waking up' while I was asleep. I could hear my cat thumping around, I could hear kids outside and I was awake but could not wake up. I started to panic a little, trying to move my body, speak, but I was still stuck. A few times in my experience, I thought I had succeeded in awakening myself only to find that I was still asleep. Eventually, I was finally able to wake up but felt quite terrified after the whole experience. I was afraid to go to sleep that night.

I was reminded of this experience as I was reflecting on the book I am currently reading, Irresistible Revolution, by Shane Claiborne. At one point in the book, describing the community he is a part of in Philly called the Simple Way, he says, "We preach, prophesy, and dream together about how to awaken the church from her violent slumber." The church in a violent slumber....My experience that I shared before was the type of experience that I would qualify as a 'violent slumber' in that it was so deep and strong and forceful that I felt crushed, unable to awaken myself from a sleep that was holding me captive. The more I reflect, the more the descriptive words, "violent slumber," ring true in my life as a follower of Christ. If I am honest with myself, I have indeed been asleep. The frightening thing is that I did not know I was asleep. In His grace, God has slowly been awakening me to the ways in which my life is inconsistent with his Word. He is showing me that I am not following Christ but that my Christianity is so closely married to our culture and its aggressive pursuit of personal happiness, status and comfort that I am not running the race toward Heaven but am in fact sleeping on the sidelines.

In the beginning of his book, Shane Claiborne refers several times to the Gospel, "messing up" his life. I started to reflect on this a little...has the gospel, "messed up" my life? Too often, I get caught up in trying to achieve what my culture values instead of seeking after what Christ does. Today my life often does not seem as 'messed up' as it should.

Instead, it often feels that through a series of small concessions, I have fallen into a 'violent slumber' and am struggling desperately to wake up. As I reflect on Scripture, particularly the gospels, I am convicted. If Scripture teaches that the ways of Christ appear as foolishness to the world, why does my life look so normal? If Christ says that the way to Heaven is narrow, why does it seem that all I see on every side is a wide open road? If the Gospel tells us that we will suffer and that our treasure is not of this world, why am I so comfortable and why do I pursue earthly things and think it is okay? When Christ tells us to care for least of these, how am I able to dismiss the needs of others? Paul says to not just look to our own interests but to the interest of others...I too often have believed the message of our culture that says, "Pursue your own interests, secure financial stability while there are so many without; pursue more education, status, etc., when my time and money could be spent in many more humble and eternal endeavors. Our time is limited which means that if we truly serve others, we will have to sacrifice many our own interests. Too often I have believed that it is okay to believe Scripture but not live it out and I have dismissed and contextualized Scripture to allow myself to exist in a faith that leaves me comfortable but anemic. I live with a constant nagging that there has to be more than just this existence where all I am ultimately concerned about are the needs of myself and my family. By grace, God is slowly revealing to me a faith that is deep, real and honest. A faith that will not disappoint.

Sometimes I see the way of Scripture clearly and my heart is eager and passionate about living the incarnated Gospel. Then I have moments, like yesterday, when that vision is harder to see. Yesterday Tom and I decided to go shopping for a new dining room table. As we were shopping, I started to see all these things that I wanted. And I even began to think for a moment that it was okay to buy more than what we needed. It got me thinking of how we could afford these nice things. Ultimately, it made the way of the cross seem distant and undesirable because in that moment, all I really wanted was nice furniture and a comfortable lifestyle. This is what I mean by struggling to wake up. Sometimes I get a glimpse of what it would truly mean to be awake in the Spirit but then I am quickly drawn back to sleep (by materialism, consumerism, etc.), a sleep that is captivating and aggressive. I try to wake up but it is so tempting to stay fast asleep. The only way I see hope to awaken from this sleep is to pray for grace. To pray that God would deliver me and others from our love affair with this 'violent slumber'. Our cultural values of individualism, consumerism, security, pursuit of our own interests and the applause of others has lulled us into a deep, deep slumber. It is so deep that we don't even know we are asleep, except when God gives us that glimpse of 'true life.' We struggle to wake up and when God is truly merciful, He allows us to see that we should be afraid of this captivating sleep.

Ultimately as followers of Christ our lives are to look different, our values are to reflect those of our Saviour who cherished the poor and sought humility over the empty praise of men. Does my life reflect my Saviour? Does yours? Can we dream a different dream? One where Christ dwells and gives us grace, humility and wisdom to live out the Kingdom of God? Pray for me that I would and I will pray for you.

Blessings,

Andrea

A Few Pics

A glimpse of the Baileys...

Ethan's 3rd Birthday (March 17th)...my little Irish baby!



We had lots of fun celebrating and he thoroughly enjoyed his cake!

A few cute ones of Ellie...

Our weekend away with some friends...

Ellie's 1st Birthday...

Ellie and our niece Alyssa shared their birthday party this year since their birthdays are so close. This was my first time making a cake with flowers! I still need some practice but it was fun! Alyssa turned nine this year and was so excited to have a birthday party with her only girl cousin! So sweet!

I hope you enjoyed the pictures!

Sincerely,
Andrea

I LOVE CITY LIFE

"I LOVE CITY LIFE" is a popular bumper sticker displayed on the vehicles of many

that reside in this
place called,
Lancaster. While no where near the size of many

of the great cities that surround it (e.g., Philly,
Baltimore, D.C.), Lancaster comes
equipped with all great city amenities such as crime, poverty, drugs, gangs, prostitution, struggling schools and alcohol abuse. In some ways, I have always felt that Lancaster in a certain sense, is a sort of microcoosm of some of its larger counterparts out here, particularly Philadelphia. Many of the residents of Lancaster county (which may recall pastoral images to mind of Amish buggies, one-roomed school houses and farmland) often avoid the city if possible to the point of parents who dislike sending their child home on the bus if it has to drive through the city.

On the otherhand, there are people like Tom and I and many others who call Lancaster city home and appreciate things like Central Market, the galleries, quaint coffee shops and restaurants, close proximity to downtown and many other fine features that we feel comprise a mostly great place to live. Nevertheless, it never fails that one of the first questions people ask of you out here is, "Where do you live?" If you say, "I live in the city..." you are already checked off in their mind as a certain sort...either you are too poor to live in the suburbs; you are an urban professional/intellectual who enjoys the historic architecture, diversity and culture the city has to offer; you are religious and seek to help the poor; or you are simply a conglomeration of all of these things and more. We are somewhere in the latter.

Having said all that, I thought in this post I would comment, or perhaps narrate, a little of the experience we have had here. First, I must say that I do not entirely love city life. I often lament that my children don't have a big open yard to play in, 'nice' friends and a safe place to learn how to ride bikes. Instead, we frequent parks and people's houses for our children to have many of the daily experiences of playing outside that should comprise childhood. Not to complain, our yard is nice for a city yard, but in the end, it is still a city yard.

I am writing this post as today, more than normal, I am feeling the burden of the constant need those around me face everyday. More than ever I am aware of the raw pain that heals only for a second before wounds are exposed again and the cruelty of our fallen world inflicts yet another injury that the soul must bear. I see the poverty that brands a person, leaving a scar that is worn with shame. I want to be careful as I speak of the experiences of those around me as they are not just figures that I report on...they are my friends and their lives are very real.

Although we share the same sidewalk, our lives often feel as though they are galaxies apart. One little girl who was eating with us the other day casually announced, "My mom is trying to figure out who my first daddy is. I had to get a shot so they could test my blood to find out who my first daddy is." She then went on to explain a reality, a life filled with pain, instability and abuse that is as present for her as the contrasting safe reality my own children experience every day. I cried the other night when I sent her home. As I went to tuck my own children in for bed, I prayed God would be merciful and protect her.

I often smell the marijuana that is being smoked by those around us outside as I take my children out to the car.

I have heard their stories of abuse, rape, depression, alcohol abuse, rage and desperation. My heart is heavy.

Tom and I live here and yet we often wish we could get away. Away from the noise, away from the smells, away from the need (I am just trying to be honest). This spiritual journey the Lord has taken us on is messy and confusing. My heart has been forever changed as a result of the three years we have lived here.We are seeking the Lord's timing as to whether we should move. We know there is still much that God is accomplishing here on this block. We have seen His hand do great things and have been richly blessed by those around us. One neighbor, in response to Tom's injury (for those that don't know, he severed the tendon and nerve in his left thumb and is off work for some time), offered to give us food if we needed it. So many around us make sacrifices for those they love. I have been deeply challenged by the generosity of those around me.

Anyway, I apologize that this post is so heavy but it is where I am at today. I must close on a lighter note to keep it all in perspective...

Ellie was crying and it was beginning to annoy Ethan. He looked her in the eye and said, "Stop crying Ellie, I command you!"

The other night Zachary was an emotional mess before bed and we sent him up to bed without brushing his teeth. Upon this charge he completely lost it and started wailing, "But if I don't brush my teeth tonight they will be rotten and fall out in the morning!"

Last night in the van I was listening to the kids converse with one of their little friends. Ethan explained, "Well, Daddy's name is Tom and Mommy's name is Honey."

So cute...

Until next time,

Andrea

P.S. I will get on that Recipe column. Also, did anyone give up anything for Lent? We are exploring the book , Ancient Future Time: Forming Spirituality Through the Christian Year, by Robert E. Webber in a Sunday School class at church...anyone read it?

An Eventful Week

Hello!
Since my last post, I have actually drafted many posts with the truest intentions to finish them later, and then never got around to it. So, today here it is. I have so many thoughts that swim around in my head and never feel like I have the time to actually sort them out and make them coherent enough to post; hence, I do not post as often as I would like to. When I visit other's blogs I see how simple this one is and then wonder to myself, where do they find the time? Alas, for now, I am going to content myself with what I have here and hope that you will all hang on for the ride until I have more time to invest making the reading of this a more comprehensive experience :-)

I have also not been diligent to take pictures of the little tykes, so until I make more of an effort, here is cute one of little Ellie taken last month. She is such sweet pea! Well, I wanted to post today as I was reflecting on our somewhat eventful week. Here is a brief overview...

Monday
Monday was a great day. We started out our morning as usual. The boys watched Curious George on PBS while I took some time trying to wake myself up out of the fog that seems to accompany many of my days. I got breakfast started, coffee brewing and we were off to a good start. After a couple hours I put Ellie down for her nap, got ready for the day, put in a load of laundry and sat down to do preschool with the boys. They loved our lesson and it was so much fun seeing them enjoy what they were learning. They are both so sharp and it is fun to see them absorb new challenges and try to master new skills. After we were done, I made lunch, got Ellie from her crib and embarked on the ever-present adventure of feeding three little kids and trying to get a bite to eat myself!

At quiet time, I began reading, The Magician's Nephew, to the boys to see if they were ready for reading a book with no pictures :-) Ethan quickly tired of the whole experience but Zachary loved it! I put Ethan and Ellie down for a nap and came back downstairs to continue reading to Zachary. He tracked the story well and looked at me with wide-eyed anticipation as the plot began to unfold. It was so much fun...probably the highlight of my week.

Tuesday

Tuesday, was a precursor, a harbinger if you will (that one's for you Uncle Bill if you ever read this!), of things to come. The day started well and around mid-morning, I decided to take the kids to the store. While we were strolling down the aisles of KMART, Ethan announced that his tummy hurt and that he needed to go to the bathroom. Quickly distracted by toys, he decided that he didn't need to go anymore. In record time, I grabbed all that we needed and headed to the check-out line. While in the van, Ethan started to look very sickly and kept complaining that his tummy hurt. We made it home just in time. I thought to myself, perhaps Ethan just had a little bug.

Wednesday

I awoke in the wee hours of the morning to Zachary crying that he had thrown-up all over his bed. I have to say that changing vomit-covered bedding is one of the all time lows of raising young children. Nevertheless, our day began at 5:30 to him throwing-up again. This time though, he was not alone. I thought it would be fun to join in :-). Suffice it to say, the flu had arrived! I sent Tom off to work thinking that we could tough it out for the day. Within an hour, I called him, pleading with him to come back! In the time it took him to come home, all three children were either sick or in need of a diaper change and I was not doing too well. Tom got home and the rest of the day is just one big flu-filled blur.

Thursday

Still sick but Tom was able to go to work...and thankfully did not get the flu (I went a little crazy with the bleach and Lysol spray!).

Friday

Poor little Ellie woke up three times that previous night and then awoke in the morning with a high fever. I prayed the Lord would get me through the day as I was still recovering from my own illness and was exhausted. God gave us mercy and when Tom came home last night, we had a nice dinner and even watched a movie after the kids went to bed. But it had been a very long day...

Today

Ellie is still sick; however, Tom has the boys at gymnastics and I am enjoying a moment of peace, writing to you all and drinking my coffee. This afternoon I plan on finally getting out of the house...I have not been out since Tuesday!!! I think that is a record for me...I need to get out! We are hoping to finish the attic, buy some furniture and maybe go out for lunch! It's amazing how life-giving it is just to resume normal affairs again.

Well, perhaps you didn't want to know all these details about our week, but I wanted to let you all have a glimpse into our lives :-). I have been thinking of this blog often, lamenting how little I attend to it. I did, however, think of something I want to add...a recipe of the week post (well, maybe with my record, a 'recipe of the month' would be more consistent!). A loved one (you know who you are!!!) once called me a 'food snob', which by the way, I am not...I can think of much snobbier (I think I just made a new word...). I want to get feedback from others as well so when I get around to it, look for it on my blog. I love to cook, that is, I love to cook when I don't have three little ones demanding my attention while I have meat juice all over my hands! I have really given up so many of the interests that make me, 'me', that I am trying to force myself to regain some of my identity that is separate but likewise braided into my identity as a mother! So having said that...look for it in weeks to come.

Finally, here are a few funnies from the kiddos...

We had new carpet installed a few weeks ago and Zachary decided it would be fun to rub his chin on it, only to give himself rug-burn...he said he was 'racing' his chin. Anyway, it formed a scab and while picking away at the last scab, Zachary announced to me, "Mommy, I picked all the hills off my chin!"

We get our milk from a local dairy not far from our house. It is cheaper than milk at the store, hormone free and supports the local economy...part of one of the many things I love about this area. Anyway, I always take the kids to get milk and see the cows and they love going. Ethan knew we were out of milk and came up to me asking, "Mommy, when are we going to go to the 'fairy'? So cute!

More to come soon!

Andrea

p.s. I realized that many of my posts are filled with chaotic antics of life at home. There is really much more going on than all the craziness, but the crazy times are the ones that are fun to post about. I will be sure to post on some of the other arenas of life (church, reading, theology, future plans, hobbies and interests, even some 'before-and-after' shots of the house!) that comprise our meaningful but otherwise ordinary lives. I really will...but I won't promise!